Tampa Bay Rays’ Nick Madrigal connects for a run scoring sacrifice fly off Houston Astros pitcher Bennett Sousa during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Rays reach 90 wins with dominant sweep of Houston
The Tampa Bay Rays closed out a statement weekend at Tropicana Field, finishing a three‑game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 14‑4 win that showcased power, pitching depth and relentless pressure. With the victory, Tampa Bay became the first American League team to hit 90 wins this season, maintaining a four‑game cushion over the New York Yankees as the regular season enters its final two weeks.
Freddy Peralta set the tone early, firing five hitless innings while walking three and throwing 86 pitches. The right‑hander has been one of the league’s hottest arms in September, winning four straight starts and allowing just two runs across his last 23 innings. His command and confidence have transformed Tampa Bay’s rotation at the perfect time.
Aranda and Mesa Jr. fuel a 15‑hit outburst
Jonathan Aranda powered the offense with two home runs, giving him 21 on the season. His solo shot in the fourth and two‑run blast in the seventh highlighted a day in which every Rays starter recorded at least one hit and scored at least one run.
Victor Mesa Jr. delivered three hits, including a two‑run triple in the first off Hayden Wesneski that immediately put Tampa Bay in control. He later scored on a Chandler Simpson groundout, pushing the Rays ahead for good.
Richie Palacios added his 10th homer — a three‑run shot — after a dropped pop‑up extended the third inning. Nick Fortes joined the power parade with a two‑run homer in the fifth, stretching the lead to 11‑0.
Astros find late offense but never threaten
Houston didn’t record a hit until the sixth, when Isaac Paredes launched a two‑run homer off Brody Hopkins, who made his major league debut in relief of Peralta. Nick Allen and Nelson Velázquez added back‑to‑back homers in the eighth, but the Astros never cut meaningfully into Tampa Bay’s lead.
Wesneski struggled through three innings, allowing seven runs — only three earned — on six hits.
Two weeks left, pressure rising
With 90 wins and momentum building, the Rays enter the final stretch with the AL’s best record and a four‑game lead over the Yankees. Tampa Bay’s depth, power and pitching continue to peak at the right moment, setting up a dramatic finish in the AL East.
